Robert F. Trimble

1924 - 2024

Major General, U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
Bob died on March 8, 2024 at home in Alexandria, Virginia. He was born July 26, 1924 in Boligee, Alabama and lived to the age of 99. Predeceased by his first wife, Sara (Conklin) Trimble; his son, Robert L. Trimble, and his three siblings, Elizabeth (Trimble) Parker, John Trimble and Ellen (Trimble) Morton. Bob is survived by his loving wife, Gail Haslam Crawford Trimble, four children, Jeannie, Heather, Jennifer and Beth, their spouses and twelve grandchildren.

His family moved from Alabama in 1926 to Hot Springs, Virginia, home of the famous Homestead Resort Hotel and the renowned golfer Sammy Snead. He graduated from Valley High School, Class of 1941, with 35 classmates.

Bob then attended Millards Preparatory School in Washington, DC during the winter of 1941-1942. An expanded wartime enrollment enabled Bob to enter the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY in the summer of 1942 where he spent three profitable but mostly uneventful years. A WWII need for military aviators caused the Academy to give pilot training to student volunteers; Trimble was one.

Bob graduated on June 6, 1945 with a BS degree, a commission in the regular army and pilot's wings. This started a thirty year military career in the US Army Air Corps which became the US Air Force in 1947, when that branch separated from the Army. Further education, something he valued highly, included an MBA at the University of Michigan (49-51), Academic Instructor's Course (56), Air Force Command and Staff College (59-60), and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (65-66).

His initial duty was flying airplanes, but after receiving his MBA in 1952, Bob was assigned procurement duties that literally became his principal occupation for the next 38 years, both in and out of the Air Force. He is the only known officer who served as a purchasing officer in every rank from First Lieutenant to Major General. In his view, all educational programs contributed to his development in the procurement profession.

His assignments embodied a full spectrum of purchasing duties to include major aircraft systems, local purchase of goods and services, and logistic support for aircraft and missiles (parts and services). In his terminal military assignment, he became the Director of Procurement Policy, Air Force Headquarters. After military retirement in 1975, he served as an Assistant Administrator for Procurement in the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and was assigned to the Office of Management and Budget, The Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Procurement, and the Vice President for Contracts in the Martin Marietta Corporation. Final retirement came in 1990.

His flying duties were terminated in 1962 when it was determined that his non-flying duties in procurement were more important to the Air Force than duties as a flight officer. He had at that time accumulated 3400 hours in aircraft to include the B-17, B-25, P-51, C-47, T-33, and F-84 models. (The P-51 was his favorite.)

The Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Service Medal were his two highest military honors. Eagle Scout Rank while in high school also was an achievement that he valued.

Bob was active in his church (Presbyterian) and in military chapels throughout his career. He taught Sunday School for a total of fourteen years, started a Men's prayer breakfast in the Mount Vernon area, and was a Church Elder at several duty stations for a total of eleven years.

He was also active in attempting to advance the effectiveness of his profession by starting with several colleagues in 1984 the Procurement Round Table in the Washington, DC area. He was the executive director of that organization for a number of years. He also worked to improve the lives of fellow citizens who were experiencing homelessness and to make available more affordable housing for low income workers.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Robert Trimble Memorial Fund at Heritage Presbyterian Church, 8501 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22308.

Services will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 2 p.m. at Heritage Presbyterian Church. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.